Fall is coming - time to switch to your knickers?
 

All the cycling clothing companies are telling me (in their ads) to cover my knees.
It is a philosophy I have adhered to for many years.

But at what temperature do you switch to knickers or knee covers with your shorts?

Desert lifestyles need not brag, but it gets cold at altitude locations - I froze at times in Las Vegas and hills/mts outside Los Angeles.

I just took delivery of a lightweight pair of knickers that work in the 57°-63° overcast Puget Sound autumn days.

Every body deserves to be comfortable in a chill.
Because, it's not always about th bike.

Two possibly irrelevant and unrelated observations:

1) It's over 100°F here.

2) "Knickers" is synonymous with women's undergarmets in most of the English-speaking world.

Leg and Arm warmers go on when temps get in the 60'sF.

60 or below, knickers or tights.

I run hot, so thin, breathable, "active-wear pants" go on over my bike shorts around 40F. At that temp I'm wearing a breathable windbreaker over a long sleeve t-Shirt over my wicking cycling shirt, light-long-finger gloves, and a headband over my ears.

It really depends on the humidity, but Colorado Springs is very dry so it doesn't feel so cold. If it's humid and rainy the long pants may go on around 45F.

At 60º long sleeves for sure and 55º or so tights at a minimum and pants if it is any colder for sure.

There are very few things in cycling (hell, or in life at all!) that I am dogmatic about, but ^^^this is one of those things: As soon as the temps go below 65°F I cover my knees.

Long-sleeve lightweight cycling jacket goes on below about 60F.
Leg coverings go on below about 50F.

It was cool here this morning -- nice day for a ride at 64°F. Almost cool enough for a long sleeve jersey. But I don't normally go to knee warmers or tights until it gets down to about 50°F, though I sometimes wish I had if it's a dark, overcast day, windy, and spitting rain and 55°.

It's still rather warm, where I live. Haven't had but a couple of mornings (since ~April) into the low 60s (F).

Morning rides are now pleasant, thankfully. I'll be even happier once the morning temps reach ~50ºF.

I figure it'll be another several weeks (perhaps into October) before I'm regularly wearing long workout gear on rides. Of course, it won't be another 60 days before it begins freezing occasionally, at night.

I've read 50F degrees

I think the answer is: It depends. (as always).

In the Fall season 60° is chilly, in early Spring season 60° is warm (if dry).
60°, no wind, full sun = warm, but
60°, windy, no sun & threatening rain = chilly

But glad to know many wear 3/4 length tights.

Mine as bibs. (to extend the thread). hehehe

Knee and arm warmer below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Thermal tights and jersey for below about 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

I got on the pants my last ride, 115 miles. The high was about 70F and only that for a couple hours. I only had the jacket on the first few miles.
Some times I have started out with shorts at 48F, but it has to warm up fast and up to 72F or so for several hours.
I'll ride colder with shorts if I'm wearing a jacket.

My knee specialist would agree and so would many cycling coaches. The reason usually given is that the knees don't receive the blood supply that muscles do and can't tell you that they're cold and working poorly.

It's weather-dependent to some extent as much as temperature dependent.

When the weather gets too cold for shorts, it’s time to hang up the bike and take down my skis.

I don't know, man, when it's too cold for shorts it's hard to find a boat driver and a spotter!

Oh, you meant snow skis? :)

Not yet.

Kneewarmers 55-65F

Knickers or legwarmers 48-55F

Tights 35-48F

Tights and legwarmers below 35F

When getting ready for a ride just before lunch today I stepped outside and did briefly consider if I wanted to put knee warmers on. After riding in very muggy weather with temps in the mid 90's F for several months the dry air that just moved in and low 80's F just seem too cool!

One of the few ‘positive’ things about the pandemic is that there have been no foreign tourists at the ski resorts in Niseko (or anywhere else in Japan) so there have been no lines at the lifts, and lots of hotel rooms available. There were no lockdowns or any of that kind of stuff in Japan, so the ski resorts remained open for the locals.

60 and below knickers
50 and below light tights
40 ish med tights then Zwifting

Below 50F long sleeves, below 45F long pants, below 40F full gloves, once the snow and salt show up, switch out the bike for skis.

Tim

the two can co-exist :D

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...84a9311597.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d573d7da7b.jpg

50 to 65 degrees is where I'm finally not roasting in bibs and jersey. Pretty much when I can start getting into serious riding.

Eric